Hope you all enjoy the chapter... it's set a short time before the end of the last one...

Kuldr sat down in front of Eridor, his eyes closed and his expression solemn. "So... what to do... what to do... what to do...?" he thought to himself, he thought back to his time with Loivissa... the trouble she caused him when she had hatched. Smiling slightly, Kuldr returned his concentration towards Eridor, he was sitting there silently looking at Kuldr, curiosity playing in his eyes with his head slightly tilted.

Eridor observed Kuldr thoughtfully "Kuldr... Tell me something, why is it you are so reluctant to talk to me?" Eridor asked "I... know ab... about your past but is it... fair for you to treat... me like this?" he asked him, hints of anger playing in his tone

"I apologise for the way I've been treating you Eridor" Kuldr replied

"Did you even want me... to hatch... for you?" Eridor asked, sternly

"I must admit, I did not want this to happen... but you must understand, I have lost the person I shared this bond with... this will take time for me to adjust... I ask you to be patient" Kuldr replied, a calmness in his voice that began to irritate Eridor

"T ...tell me Kuldr... if it was not for Saphira, what would you... have done?" Eridor asked

"I would have stayed there, until the time was right for me to accept your consciousness into my being" Kuldr replied, his voice still in that calm, irritating tone. He could see the anger in Eridor's eyes; he could see how it made him feel and how it didn't affect him... it dawned on him then, how much he had changed since his days as a true rider, his eyes opened in horror... "I... am not the same..." he thought, suddenly his throat became dry and sweat started to build upon his brow, tears began falling down his cheeks "How... how did this happen?" he thought. Death first came to mind, destruction, loss and hatred. It had finally caught up with him, the darkness that was in his mind. The darkness that had been seeping into his heart... although unaffected on the outside Kuldr had changed. Some aspects were better but others were worse... he had never been this distant... to anybody.

He looked into Eridor's eyes, looking into his mind with his own... seeing into the pureness of a new life. He could feel Eridor doing the same and his could feel no judgment. Kuldr shielded his mind enough to allow him to have his own thoughts. "This is what I need... a pure soul to balance my own" he thought to chuckled slightly "Oh, such a poetic line, ridiculous that even now I can say things like that"

Eridor looked at him again, his anger subsiding and his curiosity rising "Why are you laughing?!" he asked, irritated at Kuldr and he wasn't afraid to show it.

"I am laughing at my own foolishness" Kuldr replied, smirking slightly. Suddenly his expression became strict... He rushed up and picked up Eridor, placing him on his shoulder, grabbing Kveykva and sprinting towards the door and towards the infirmary "Eragon's in trouble... we must run!" Kuldr replied.

"What... is happening?" Eridor asked

"Something's gone wrong... The door to the infirmary is shut and nobody can get in, things are crashing against the door and huge gusts of winds are blowing against the door and there's only darkness to be seen" Kuldr replied, bursting through a door and climbing down the stairs towards the infirmary. As he neared it he saw a crowd of people trying to break into the door. As he arrived the light returned and the wind died down. He burst into the room after Saphira shouted "What happened" into their minds. He walked further inside as Eragon said "It was a bad idea defrosting him" Kuldr walked straight past Eragon and over to the man. Putting down Eridor he picked up the man's hand "It's warm" he said and continued to check the man for signs of reawakening as Saphia picked herself up with the help of Blodhgarm. She walked over to Kuldr and joined him in checking the man's vitals.

"His pulse is higher... increased activity" She said, now checking his eyes "His eyes are shaking... Eragon, we need a decision... and soon" Saphia told him

"Eragon, we don't know whether he is dangerous or not... do you want to refreeze him or bind him or let him awaken" Kuldr told him "Or... we could risk waiting for Angela to return in a few weeks" Kuldr added

"I... I must think about this... this is a big decision to make and I can't risk being rash either" Eragon replied "Can we keep him inactive for a couple days to allow me to think about this?"

Saphia looked at him "I could do that but it would require some help... I don't want to touch him with magic by myself but instead we could lower the temperature around him to keep his body functions slower"

"Very well... please do that" Eragon replied "Saphira?"

"Eragon... I am not so sure about him... I do not know why but I have an awful feeling about him" Saphira replied. She warily looked at the man... she didn't want to admit it but she was scared.

"Ok then; we should all get some sleep... this ordeal has been stressful and I feel like a good night's rest is required for us" Eragon told them all, patting Saphira's neck before walking away with her, shortly followed by the rest apart from Saphia, Blodhgarm and two other elves.

Hmm... What does Kuldr have against Eridor?

I wonder what will happen and what Eragon will decide...

Again, as always REVIEW, FOLLOW AND FAVORITE!

P.S. Feel free to message me with ideas, hints, tips etc! I apologise for the delay and hope you all forgive me!

Animesh